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Apprenticeship Grant Opportunities

Recent Opportunities

Scaling Apprenticeship Through Sector-Based Strategies

On July 18, 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of $150 million in H-1B funds to support sector-based approaches to expanding apprenticeships on a national scale in key industry sectors. When awarded, the grants will move a step closer to President Trump’s vision set forth in Executive Order on Expanding Apprenticeship in America, which calls for increasing the number of apprentices in the U.S. across all industries. With the focus on industries reliant on H-1B visas, the resulting sector-based grant projects will expand apprenticeships and increase the level of apprenticeship activity among a range of new employers within these industries, particularly small- and medium-sized businesses. It also will support efforts to increase access to apprenticeship among all Americans, particularly veterans, military spouses, service members re-entering the civilian workforce, and underrepresented populations in apprenticeship – including women, people of color, and ex-offenders. The closing date for applications was October 16, 2018.

On July 17, 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the availability of $994,000 in funding to help recruit, train, and retain more women in quality pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, and pursue careers in manufacturing, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and healthcare, among other industries. The Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) grant helps to expand pathways for women to enter in, and lead in, all industries. The closing date for applications was August 16, 2018.

Past Opportunities

In 2017 and 2018, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) awarded $95 million to advance the Executive Order on Expanding Apprenticeships in America, and to help promote and expand apprenticeships in new industries to enable more Americans to obtain family-sustaining careers.

These investments focused on supporting states, industry and equity partnerships, outreach, and technology modernization to scale apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship opportunities:

National Industry and Equity Partners – In Fall 2017, DOL invested approximately $14 million in continuation funding for national industry and equity apprenticeship partners to establish the sector-based partnerships necessary to grow apprenticeship to a significant scale in the United States. Partners have created 94 new apprenticeship programs in 121 new high-demand occupations ranging from software developer to medical coder. This funding has also created job opportunities for 7,800 new apprentices, and spurred employer commitments to hire more than 8,600 additional apprentices in high-demand occupations over the next year.

State Apprenticeship Expansion Grants – In Spring 2018, DOL made approximately $50 million in continuation funding available to the 37 state apprenticeship expansion grantees to enable states to continue their work to expand apprenticeship with the goal of sparking 10 percent growth over the next two years. These funds have helped thousands of workers and companies across the country, and have been successful at advancing apprenticeship as a talent solution within state education, economic development, and workforce systems.

Technology Modernization to Scale Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship – In Summer 2018, DOL invested approximately $16.3 million to develop digital apprenticeship services which will be fueled by new technologies including artificial intelligence features, mobile apps, data sharing, and other applications to support significant scaling of apprenticeship. These digital resources will help apprentices and pre-apprentices identify programs of interest and provide off-the-shelf resources to employers, educators, and the public at large.

Improved Marketing, Public Awareness, and Business Outreach – In Summer 2018, DOL invested approximately $6.8 million in new strategies to market apprenticeships and make more Americans aware of the opportunities available to them and the variety of jobs that provide family-sustaining wages.

Strategic Apprenticeship Research and Business Engagement – In Summer 2018, DOL invested approximately $7.9 million to assess the level of apprenticeship activity occurring across the country, classifying the different types of apprenticeship occurring in various industries, assessing their impact on the workforce, and using this information to come up with innovative ideas to help agency decision makers advance apprenticeship expansion initiatives.